The Makers Toolkit Resources
Planning
It’s so important to get yourself organised and have what you want to achieve all mapped out. As a Maker you have so much to think about from running a business, building networks to growing a client base on top of making!
Here we have some easy-to-use tools to support you on your journey.
SWOT Analysis
Completing a SWOT analysis is a useful exercise to see where your strengths and weaknesses are and to look at the opportunities along with threats that could affect your creative practice.
Action Plan
A plan of action is always a good idea and to set goals throughout the year.
Time Management
We know how busy you will be throughout the year so making sure you have time for all parts of your practice, along with making sure there is time for you. Time Management is so important and can be a challenge. Here are 9 tips from The Creative Life.
Business Plan
If you are starting out or want to refresh an already established business, we have found some useful links that will help you with a business plan.
Design Thinking
Learn how to use Design Thinking methods tools to empathise with your audience, solve problems and develop strong and efficient business strategies with Jewellery Maker Member Ana Simoes
Have you ever seen a team of designers filling a wall with post-Its while brainstorming around an idea or a product? It is very likely that they were applying design thinking methods and tools to their process. Design thinking is a practical and creative way of exploiting the creative potential of teams, accelerate innovation processes and accurately meet customer needs.
Design thinking can also be used to create new business models and innovative ways of working by encouraging a creative mindset.
Understanding your customers and developing ways of connecting with them using empathy maps, customer journeys and personas.
Developing value propositions to ensure products and services are positioned around customers' values and needs.
Understanding how creative business models can help you visualise and assess the different aspects of your business to set new and more realistic goals.
In this 1.5-hour workshop hosted by Ana Simoes you will learn how to successfully integrate design thinking into your business by:
About Ana: Inspired by her Portuguese heritage and the country’s unique and beautiful architecture, Ana Simoes meticulously designs and handcrafts ornamental pieces that are timeless and effortless. She holds a master’s degree in Design Management from Birmingham City University and specialises in Ecommerce and Professional Practice. Ana established a business partnership based in London with which she participated in many internationally distinguished Jewellery fairs across the UK such as International Jewellery London.
Photographing Your Work
It is essential that you have good photography of your work for your website, social media and exhibition applications. If you can’t get them taken by a professional photographer, we have some great tips on getting that right image.
Also don’t forget that you need to take a good photo of you in your studio/workspace while the camera is out!
We have complied a list of posts and videos that guide you step by step from styling, taking the photo and editing it:
Selling Your Work
Ecommerce
An increasing number of Craft businesses are using Ecommerce websites to sell their products because of the benefits associated with the internet which were highlighted by the restrictions imposed to brick-and-mortar shops as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ecommerce websites are great sales and communication channels, however, in such a competitive environment, it is essential to understand customers’ needs and expectations to build a strong rapport.
Ecommerce Masterclass – How to create an optimal online customer experience and how to optimize your online store by making a few changes to your Ecommerce website with Jewellery Maker Member Ana Simoes.
This 1.5-hour workshop hosted by Ana Simoes will help you improve your online strategy to drive customer satisfaction and trust, and consequently improve your online business performance and growth.
You will understand why customers find some Ecommerce websites challenging and unappealing and will be offered essential tips developed to improve their levels of satisfaction.
You will learn how design can support the development of your online strategy and how to create a creative plan that suits your business and your audience.
About Ana: Inspired by her Portuguese heritage and the country’s unique and beautiful architecture, Ana Simoes meticulously designs and handcrafts ornamental pieces that are timeless and effortless. She holds a master’s degree in Design Management from Birmingham City University and specialises in Ecommerce and Professional Practice. Ana established a business partnership based in London with which she participated in many internationally distinguished Jewellery fairs across the UK such as International Jewellery London.
Selling Your Work at Craft Fairs
We ask Sarah James, Director of Craft Festival her top tips on having a successful stand at a craft festival.
About Sarah: Ceramist and Director Sarah James founded the Craft Festival in 2003 and is a non-profit making organisation. The event has grown from around 2,000 visitors to over 10,000 since it started and has become one of the most prestigious and much-loved craft events in the Europe.
Marketing Your Work
Textiles Maker Member Angie Parker talks us through how to successfully market your work:
About Angie: Angie Parker is a weaver, designer and colourist. Her rugs and textiles are expertly hand-woven using traditional techniques such as Krokbragd. She combines this with an instinctive and daring approach to colour. She creates one off textiles to commission and small batch production runs from her Bristol studio.
Lou Chudley of Spark Social talks us through how to increase your discoverability on Instagram:
About Spark Social: Spark Social offers social media training, working with people by giving them the skills and knowledge to become confident at using Instagram. They offer training in group workshops and in 1:1 coaching sessions. They offer coaching services in person throughout the Bristol region and over virtual training sessions over Zoom so they can work with you wherever you are in the world.
How to Teach Online
Textiles Maker Member Angie Parker shows us how to move your workshop online:
About Angie: Angie Parker is a weaver, designer and colourist. Her rugs and textiles are expertly hand-woven using traditional techniques such as Krokbragd. She combines this with an instinctive and daring approach to colour. She creates one off textiles to commission and small batch production runs from her Bristol studio.
Collaborative Working
Listen to Maker Members Anita Reynolds and Kate Lyons Miller as they discuss the dos and don’ts of working in collaboration:
About Anita: Anita Reynolds, Landscape printmaker working on Dartmoor and the South West Coast. Anita translates her dynamic onsite sketches into prints either on location in her camper van, that houses a small press, or back in her studio in Totnes. She predominantly makes monotypes, drypoints and collagraphs as well as hybrid works that combine these techniques.
About Kate: Kate returned to ceramics, her first love, after a career as a scenic artist, working in theatres all around Britain. Three-dimensional design could be said to be in her DNA. Having gained a BA Hons in Ceramics at Plymouth College of Art she went on to achieve an MA in Ceramic Design from BSAD, Bath, graduating in 2020. She runs classes and workshops from her Dartmoor studio.
How to Work to Commission
The commissioning process can be a potential minefield through which many makers fear to tread! Sculptor Maker Member Luke Shepherd will talk through the practicalities and pitfalls which he has experienced and will be available to answer questions and discuss any issues which come up.
The session film has been split into 2 sessions - Part 1 deals with commissioning in general, Part 2 specifically with preparing a contract.
About Luke: Luke is much in demand as both an artist and educator. Each year in Cambridge he leads the training course Sculpture For Surgeons on behalf of The Royal College of Surgeons of England. He has exhibited portrait busts at the Royal Academy, London and the Academie des beaux-Arts, Paris.
Part 1
Part 2
How to Apply for Funding
Are you looking for advice and top tips on funding for your creative business? Caroline Jackman from the Craft Council will talk you through applying for grants and trust funding and an introduction to crowd funding with support in writing a strong application. You will learn:
Fundraising possibilities for your business or project and how to achieve these aims
To introduce you to writing a strong grant application
To help you understand your creative business better to enable you to make SMART decisions so fundraising becomes a part of a long-term plan for your whole business
About Caroline: Caroline Jackman, Head of Craft Business Skills. Caroline has over 20 years’ experience working in the arts and working to support the business and creative development of artists and makers from amateurs to established professionals. She has successfully run galleries, community festivals, national conferences, and international and domestic business skills training programmes.
QEST: Scholarships for Craft Training
Meet the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), a charity which supports excellence in British craftsmanship by funding the training and education of talented and aspiring makers, sustaining vital skills in traditional and contemporary crafts and supporting Britain’s cultural heritage.
QEST team member Louise Rains leads this session focusing on their scholarship funding, and will be joined by QEST Scholars Amy Goodwin, a traditional sign painter, and Ceramist Chloe Monks to talk about their own experiences of applying to QEST.
Through this session, you’ll gain a stronger understanding of what QEST supports and how to complete a successful application.
About QEST: QEST awards scholarships of up to £18,000 to individuals to support craft training, including college courses, vocational training, a series of short courses or one-to-one training with a master craftsperson. Experienced makers from all backgrounds who are looking to further their craft career through training may be eligible to apply.
Pricing Your Work
Furniture Maker Member Edward Wild goes through the fundamentals of pricing your work. You will cover:
Calculating your hourly rate
Batch production
Bespoke commissions
Remembering profit
Charging for design time
Are you competitive?
Dealing with non-payment
Psychology of sales
About Edward: Edward Wild is an award-winning furniture designer-maker, creating handmade bespoke furniture in an elegant contemporary style, combining the finest materials together with his skilled craftsmanship. All Edward’s work is created by hand in his workshop, including limited edition pieces and bespoke commissions.
Working with Galleries
The Makers Toolkit was fully funded by Arts Council England.
